There is a fit & happier person inside everyone

Monthly Archives: June 2016

There it is, I said it. And I did it. I haven’t weighed myself since last December. And, you know what? The sky hasn’t fallen and I feel terrific. Sure, I’ve had my moments.

One moment came when I was switching out my winter clothes for my spring and summer wardrobe. I was worried – winter clothing is looser, covers up more and is a lot more forgiving than tanks, shorts and slim fitting capris. Would nothing fit? Before putting the most questionable items in my closet, I forced myself to try them on. My worry was for naught, everything fit. (Whew!)

Which is not to say I’ve been perfect. Every now and then, a waistline feels a little too snug for comfort. I focus on portion size, consume fewer treats, opt for tougher workouts and, by the time the item cycles through the wash and I wear it again, I’m satisfied with the fit. The important thing is, I’ve resisted the temptation to step on the scale.

Why did I do it? In short, regular weigh-ins weren’t working for me anymore. Two years ago, I embarked on a ten-pound weight-loss in ten weeks endeavor and chronicled it on this blog. I reached the goal and continued to weigh myself a few times a week to keep tabs.

I remained within a few pounds of my goal weight for over a year. But, then the weight started creeping back up. It was completely vexing. I wasn’t overtraining or undertraining and I remained vigilant about my diet.

Even though my clothes still fit fine and my weight remained in the “normal” range for my height on the BMI (Body Mass Index), the fact that the number increased and, no matter what I did, I couldn’t get it to lower really bothered me. Stepping on the scale became this dreadful, frustrating experience that produced a lot of self-doubt and negative self-talk. I began searching for the tell-tale evidence of “flaws” in the mirror that I was convinced were there because, after all, the scale was telling me so.

In the meantime, I was reading more and more about the short-comings of the BMI and fitness studies that were concluding scale numbers are less of an indicator of health and longevity than once thought. And I had my physical exam with my primary doctor. My numbers – blood pressure, cholesterol, thyroid function, blood glucose, liver – weren’t only good, they were great. She told me whatever I was doing for diet and exercise was obviously working and I shouldn’t change a thing.

That’s when I realized every shred of evidence outside of the scale was proving to me that I was healthy and fit. Only my body weight number was nagging me. It’s then I concluded the scale no longer served any purpose in helping me with my fitness goals and, in fact, was detrimental. So, I ditched it.

Should You Ditch the Scale Too?

Here’s the most important fitness truth everyone needs to know: body fat loss is a by-product of getting fit. The problem is we tend to believe the opposite – that getting fit is a by-product of losing weight. We choose a number on the scale, a rudimentary appliance that can’t tell the difference between fat and muscle, and then we diet our way to that number. We judge how fit we are based on how close we are to a scale number. If that’s how you’re using a scale, you need to ditch it too.

But, if instead, you’re trying to eat healthy foods in proper portions at least 80% of the time and cardio, strength and flexibility train most days of the week for the goal of overall health and well-being, then the scale can be one helpful tool in your toolbox to assist you in measuring your progress and motivating you to your goal.

Once you reach your goal, however, I highly recommend tossing the scale and opting for waist and hip measurements or, more simply, staying in your goal-weight clothing, as the primary tool for fitness maintenance.

I don’t know for sure what accounts for the increase in pounds before I finally split with my scale. In all likelihood, I’ve gained lean mass. If there’s anything that’s changed for me between 2014 and now it’s that I’ve progressed the frequency, volume and intensity of my strength training. I suspect it’s only my vanity that cares about the reason why. At age 47, I’m trying not to care about vanity anymore.

What I know for sure is breaking up with my scale has been the one act that has felt the most liberating since I started my fitness journey nearly 30 years ago. And I have no intention of getting back together anytime soon.

I’m not a fan of hazy, hot and humid summer weather but what I do look forward to this time of year is the bounty of delicious, nutritious, fresh foods. There’s no easier time to eat healthy than in June, July and August. Not only are fresh, healthy foods affordable and in ample supply, but the hot weather urges us to forgo the oven and stovetop to consume foods in their most nutritious raw or minimally cooked forms.

So what follows is a sampling of some of my favorite super-easy summery recipes.

For a quick breakfast, mix together in a cereal bowl and enjoy. But, if you have extra time, make it look like an indulgent breakfast sundae using a glass goblet and layer: 1/4 cup yogurt, 1/4 cup berries, 1/8 cup granola/cereal, remaining yogurt, berries, granola/cereal and top with fresh cherries.

Lunch

Mediterranean Tomato, Basil, Mozzarella Salad

One small tomato, sliced thin

Fresh basil

Fresh mozzarella, sliced thin

Extra virgin olive oil (1 Tblsp) & balsamic vinegar (1/2 Tblsp)

1/2 slice of 100% whole wheat pita

Arrange tomato slices in a single layer on a plate, drizzle lightly with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Top each tomato slice with one leaf of basil and 1/2 slice of mozzarella. It’s a knife and fork lunch with pita bread on the side. Be sure to save a bite of pita to mop up the leftover oil, vinegar and tomato juices on the plate. (Had this for lunch today – so delicious!)

Snack

Watermelon Surprise

1 cup watermelon cubes

2 oz aged, block parmesan cheese, shaved with vegetable peeler

Aged balsamic vinegar (1/2 Tblsp)

No, this isn’t a typo. When watermelon is at its sweetest, there is nothing better than pairing it with the salty sharpness of quality parmesan and the sweet acidity of a good, aged balsamic.

Dinner

Cold Pasta, Grilled Veggie and Salmon Salad

100% whole wheat rotini pasta, 12 oz

1 small eggplant, sliced thin

1 bunch asparagus, trimmed

2 yellow or orange peppers, halved & cleaned

1 red onion, sliced vertically

Balsamic vinaigrette, approx. 1 cup

Salmon fillet, 1 lb

Make ahead: Cook pasta according to package instructions, drain and rinse with cold water. Season vegetables with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil and grill (or roast in oven at 400 degrees). Allow vegetables to cool and cut into bite sized pieces. Toss together pasta, vegetables and balsamic vinaigrette. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Just before serving: Season salmon with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil and grill. Portion into four, 4 oz pieces and serve over 1 cup of cold pasta salad.

Dessert

Peachy Keen

Fresh peaches, sliced into wedges (one small peach per person)

Small madeleines

Heavy cream, 1 cup

Pinch of confectioners sugar

1 tsp lemon zest

Pour cream into a chilled mixing bowl, add sugar and zest. Whip with mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Serve sliced peaches over two small (or one large) madeleines, top with a dollop of whipped cream.

For more depth of flavor, grill peaches to caramelize the natural sugars and add a slight smokiness. Serve warm.

Like this:

This month’s Small Step challenges you to add a strength training workout to your weekly regimen. For those struggling to adopt a fit life, this challenge is one of the hardest. Assumptions like not knowing what exercises to do or how to do them, or believing special equipment is needed, or the necessity of going to a gym, or that it’s a big time commitment keep many away.

It’s important to know what exercises to do and how to perform them properly, but learning what to do and how to do it has never been easier. There is no limit to the amount of DVDs, digital video streaming, apps, You Tube videos, websites, blogs, and virtual trainers available that provide detailed strength training instruction by certified fitness trainers. Which means these workouts can be done anywhere, anytime and, as such, most don’t require specialized equipment.

The fitness market is full of options because women are learning that they lose 1/2 pound of lean mass annually beginning at the age of 30, that this slows metabolism and that both of these factors translate to increasing difficulty in losing excess weight and maintaining a healthy weight. The only proven antidote to this is regular, weekly strength training.

Now that you know the why of strength training, the Fit Tip for this month provides you with the what and how and practical suggestions for when and where.

Squats

Where & When

The exercise suggestions here can be performed comfortably in about seven-by-four feet of unobstructed space. For your comfort and safety, you should use a padded, non-slip surface. A yoga or exercise mat is best but most carpeted surfaces would also be sufficient. Choose your preference of bare feet, socks with non-slip grip soles or flexible sneakers. As for comfortable attire, flexible, lightweight fabrics are best.

As the blog title suggests, these exercises can be done in five-minute bouts. The workout consists of three separate five-minute bouts with two different exercises per bout. The bouts could be done consecutively and completed in a total of 15 minutes. But, the beauty of this workout is, it doesn’t need to be done all at once to be effective. For example, you could do five-minute bout #1 in the morning, five-minute bout #2 in the afternoon, and five-minute bout #3 in the evening and be able to say you completed a full-body strength training workout by the time you go to bed.

The all-at-once approach is great to do while watching TV or streaming video or audio. The five-minute-at-a-time approach works well during “waiting time,” such as waiting for water to boil, the oven to preheat, laundry to finish, a computer update, or software to download.

If you’re just getting started, aim to complete this entire workout one day per week. If you want to achieve greater increases in strength and lean mass, do this workout two days per week. But, never strength train on back-to-back days. All lean mass gains are made in the 48 hour recovery period post workout. Every-other-day strength training with a maximum of three per week is best.

Plank

What & How

What follows are six strength and complimentary flexibility exercises that are separated into three separate bouts of two exercises each. Each exercise duet should be performed for a total of five minutes. Each exercise has an imbedded link, click on the exercise title to link to visual and step-by-step written instructions on proper form from ACE Fitness. You will need to use a clock or watch with a second hand, kitchen timer or stopwatch app to keep track.

If you have been sitting just before performing a bout, walk around for a minute or up and down a flight of stairs prior to warm up the muscles.

5-Minute Bout #1: This bout will strengthen and stretch front and back of legs, core, upper back, chest, biceps and shoulders.

Advanced: Start timer; perform as many lunges as possible, alternating left and right legs, for 1 minute; perform crossover stretch for 15 seconds on each side; perform as many push ups as possible for 30 seconds; perform triceps stretch for 15 seconds on each side; repeat this cycle a second time.

This month’s Small Step is simple: add one strength training workout to your weekly routine. A mere 30 minute weekly commitment and no special equipment necessary. You can accomplish this while baking something in the oven, listening to a podcast, waiting for laundry to finish or watching television.

The Problem: Evolution

For most women approaching middle age, losing or maintaining weight becomes more difficult because it’s a physiological and evolutionary truth that an aging woman will lose lean mass and, often, increase fat mass.

As a woman nears menopause, hormonal changes are meant to accomplish two things. First, the physiological priority switches from baby-making to self-preservation. Second, thinking back to hunter-gatherer times, the body slowed processes down to preserve energy and body fat to guard against the aging body’s increasing difficulty in accessing food and water.

Lean mass (muscle and bone) requires calories to maintain while fat serves as insulation and a long-term energy source. So the body shed lean mass to slow metabolism. Less lean mass and a slower metabolism meant that less food was required to nourish the body and excess consumption could be stored as body fat to sustain her through scarcer times. We’re all here because our ancestors’ bodies adapted this way.

But what was a survival adaptation for them is a fitness hurdle for us. We shed an average of 1/2 pound of lean mass per year beginning at age 30. A vicious cycle of lean mass loss, slowing metabolism, leading to increasing fat mass, further slowing metabolism and accelerating lean mass loss.

If you’re among the few females who’ve super metabolism despite not having the muscle mass and accompanying testosterone of a male, thank your lucky stars and your genes because you may be able to avoid weight gain. But that doesn’t protect you from losing lean mass and, as a result, increasing the ratio of fat to lean mass. Increasing fat mass, even without an increase in body weight, is unhealthy because it raises risk for cardiovascular disease, hypertension, high bad cholesterol, low good cholesterol and osteoporosis.

Guys aren’t immune. A similar, albeit less drastic, phenomenon occurs in men as they approach middle age and testosterone levels decrease.

The Solution: Strength Training

Calorie reduction is only a temporary stop-gap because eventually the body will believe it’s in scarce mode and accelerate the cycle. While cardiovascular exercise can burn some excess calories, it cannot break the cycle because it doesn’t build lean mass. Only regular strength training increases bone density and muscle mass to break the cycle.

To stop losing lean mass and make modest gains, a minimum of one full-body strength training bout per week is recommended. However, to make more significant gains in lean mass and strength and realize visible toning, two or three bouts per week is necessary.

All lean mass gains come in the 48 hours after the workout. We breakdown muscle tissue during the workout, it’s in the process of regeneration afterwards that we regain and build more tissue. Therefore, at least one day off after a strength training session is necessary. Every other day is optimal with a maximum of three sessions per week. Strength training doesn’t affect the timing of cardiovascular training. It’s perfectly safe to do cardio the day before, after or even the same day as strength training.

Options

Classes: If you belong to a gym, club or studio that offers classes, they likely offer stand-alone strength or cardio-strength training classes. Look for words like pump, sculpt, Pilates or TRX in the title.

Personal Trainer: While most people feel comfortable doing cardio activities without consulting an expert, not so with strength training. Most of my clients come to me for assistance in establishing an effective, safe and personalized strength training program to compliment the cardio training they already do.

Video/Digital: There’s an endless amount of free strength training videos available online as well as reasonably priced video and digital subscriptions, rentals and purchases. Here’s a sampling:

POPSUGAR Fitness and Greatist are two free web feeds I subscribe to that offer links to new exercises and workouts daily.

ACE Fitness: Website provides free step-by-step exercise and workout videos as well as a tool to find classes and trainers in your area.

Exhale Spa Core Fusion DVD or digital workouts, $8-12 for single workouts and $15-20 for sets. My personal favorites, they’re well-cued and challenging, incorporating disciplines like yoga, mat Pilates, Bootcamp, Barre and traditional strength training with minimal equipment required. The beauty of their format is that each 50-60 minute workout is broken down into self-contained ten minute modules so you can perform as many (or as few) modules as will fit into your schedule.

DIY: Here’s a link to my 30 minute no equipment strength and flexibility training workout. Or scroll to the bottom to find links to strength workouts to compliment your favorite cardio or sports activities. These are perfect to do while watching TV or during downtime between chores.

If you already strength train but not three times per week, this month’s Small Step should be to add another bout to your regular routine. If that’s not possible or if you’re already maximizing strength training opportunities, I recommend changing up what you do for strength training. Our bodies benefit from variations in our workouts, especially strength training.

This month’s Small Step is a tall order for most of us. But none of us can truly consider ourselves fit without it.

If you’re new to the Small Steps series, you can read about the philosophy and strategies of the series here. Know the Small Steps strategies don’t need to be done in any particular order and are independent of one another. So, you can begin the series with this post, continue throughout the rest of the year and pick up what you missed next year.